conscious consumerism

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All illustrations are based on photos that were sent to me along with written submissions.
For more information on hiring me as an illustrator, click here.

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Back in 2017, I wrote love stories to some of my favourite items of clothing in order to recognise that loved clothes tend to last longer in our wardrobes, whether that’s because we look after them and end up repairing them as the years go by, or whether that’s because when we initially purchased them, we knew they’d be perfect for us.

However, mainstream media tends to ignore this and seems to make clothes ‘re-wearing’ headline and clickbait news. I’m not the only one who finds this frustrating in a time when consumption rates are at an all-time high despite the environmental crisis we are experiencing.

Inspired by the reaction to a tweet I published that stated that making re-wearing newsworthy doesn’t actually promote this conscious mindset (it actually makes something such as re-wearing, which is essentially common sense, into a far bigger deal than it should be), I decided to show that if this is the example the media wants to be set, then celebrities shouldn’t be the only ones in the spotlight – people of all ages, genders, shapes and sizes, should be praised for re-wearing too.

So, here are twenty stories of clothes (submitted to me via email) that are being re-worn more than once. I hope they make headlines.

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~ 20 RE-WEARING LOVE STORIES ~

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Theresia
25

I actually had to choose something from many, many, many pieces in my closet. But my trousers have been with me for around 10 years now. I’m quite impressed with this fact because I bought them in a fast fashion store which is not known for producing long-lasting items, but I love them very much. They are high-waisted and I like the floral pattern. They are quite thin so I wear them in summer mostly, but with leggings or tights layered under them, they work as well in colder months. I actually have the same pair in all black as well (bought 10 years ago, also) and wear them as much as the floral ones.

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Tean
13

I have loads of second-hand items but one of my favourites is a purple, grey and green striped jacket. It was my mums and she got it when she was 16. It’s 29 years old and in incredible condition, there’s no holes or anything like that. I’ve worn it a lot recently, and I hope to do so in future as well.

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Katie
30

I have a lovely Monsoon dress I bought to wear to my brother’s wedding back in 2014. It’s maxi-length and has a really bold print and dressy fabric, so, I don’t have a lot of occasions to wear it. However, every time I do a wardrobe clear-out I hang on to it, as it’s such a lovely dress, and now that I think back on it, after the initial wedding, I’m pretty sure I’ve worn it to at least 4 or 5 other events in the last five years, including my own 30th birthday party this year. It’s a relief to know I have something to wear already if I get invited to a fancier occasion, and it’s also fun to have something that’s not so precious I can’t wear it dressed down as well.

Ms. E
32

I have a fake fur vest that I’ve had for so long. I use it like coat in winter with sweaters underneath. It’s really warm.

I believe I bought it in 2013 in a second-hand store in Moscow, and I took it to two other countries when I moved. That is my only winter coat. So if it’s below 7 degrees Celsius this is what I am wearing from 2013. No exceptions.

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Bea
16

My favourite love story is about my vintage two-piece ski suit (ORANGE – like really, really orange and puffy and with lots of handy pockets). It’s worth mentioning that I definitely come from a re-wear family, of which my mum has worn the same clothes all my life. When I started getting into clothes I’d borrow hers all the time; they would either be her mums or pre-my birth.

So… The ski suit! I was on my way home and had time to kill, so, I browsed some charity shops; in maybe the third one I was casually looking at the ‘fancy dress rail’ when I saw the most wonderfully orange, puffy, 2-piece. After trying it on it was love at first sight (wasn’t aware it was a ski suit yet).

Unfortunately, I was £2 short of the asking price (£15) so I had to heart-wrenchingly leave the shop and my darling 2-piece behind. This was the day before I was going away on a school trip so I wouldn’t be back for about 10 days in which I was sure someone else would snap it up. Anyway, like any true love story the couple re-unite above the odds and on returning home I got the train straight into town to see if it was still there and it was!

Although many were sceptical (mum included) of the practicality of this buy – “But are you really going to wear that out?” – I proceeded to wear it around the house every day except for the really hot days. It was the first time ever I was excited for the cold as then I could wear my ski suit with pride. I wore the coat consistently all winter every day to school, out of school and around the house. If I was feeling particularly low I would put the whole suit on and would feel like I was in a duvet all day!

The coat has seen snow once but not the trousers; maybe this year. I’ve worn the two together and been likened to a traffic cone or pumpkin. I’ve worn the trousers to parties, to supermarkets, to pick up my sister from school, to concerts to ice-skating and to marches.

They are now going into their second winter where I have so far worn the coat 8 times to college and the trousers once. I will continue wearing it until it’s too hot. To beat my mum’s record of wearing the same coat for 13 years and counting I still have a way to go but we’re going strong and I can’t wait to give this to another kid one day (maybe my own) and tell them all about its adventures!

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Antonia
21

I love wearing my clothes a lot because it’s almost like they’re old friends I make memories with. I’ve had my low Dr Martens for a few years and they’re my absolute go-to’s for any situation. I still have the first crop top I bought in 2014 which was the first ‘fashion risk’ I ever took. But the piece I love most is a pair of pink trousers; I’ve worn them to weddings, birthdays, even my nan’s funeral. I’ve worn them to uni, to three job interviews, or just hanging out. They’re one of the most me pieces I own and I love them so, so much. They’re starting to wear out at the bum but I’ll keep them for as long as possible!

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Stowe
24

I bought a fake leather hoodie from an Italian high street store in 2016, and I wore it almost every day. Probably like 75% of the time I left the house. Sadly after 3 years of regular use it’s decaying and dying; no longer wearable. But it’s proof that clothes last and can be worn many, many, many times, especially if you love it. Honestly, I’m really sad it’s now dead.

Isabella
19

I have a few items that I have had quite a while and love. First, is something that my mom had before I was even born, that is a denim jacket. I ‘took’ it a few years ago and wear it all the time, especially through late spring to early fall. It’s a basic light denim jacket and works with everything. The jacket is a soft worn denim which I love, and it has a few holes on the arm cuffs but it is still in great condition.

The next item is a shirt I got when I was about 13. I have worn this top so much, it’s my go-to top. The top itself is basic, it’s a dark green, form-fitting, and has quarter length sleeves. To be honest, it was from a fast-fashion brand and the quality of it shows that. It is thinning and piling, and a bit see-through in the chest area. I know that it will be too worn out to be used anymore soon.

Another item isn’t necessarily something I’ve had too long or have worn tons of times, mainly because of the item itself; a dress. I bought this dress with the initial intention of using it for prom, but I also wore it for my graduation and one photoshoot. It is not a dress I can wear every day, as it is a special occasion item.

I will continue to use this dress where I can, as I truly love it and I feel good in it. I wanted to mention it because similarly to the original scenario [of Kate Middleton ‘re-wearing’ a coat] many celebrities are called out when they re-wear a dress or outfit to an event. But if it works for multiple events why not re-wear it?

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Anonymous

I have so many items of clothing that I have worn for years and years. What started out as a lifestyle born from lack of money, time and energy (college student with depression) morphed into a rather deliberate anti-capitalism statement and has now settled happily into an anti-capitalism, pro-environment stance.

An item of note is a black H&M tank dress that I borrowed from my younger sister in 2010 and never gave back (whoops). I’ve had to sew up seams multiple times and I usually wear it with a sweater or shirt overtop because the fabric of the body is starting to wear through. I NEVER would have guessed that I’d be wearing it (2-3 times a week) almost a decade later but I’m actually pretty proud.

I also have two cotton long-sleeved shirts from the GAP, probably 5 years old, that I wore almost exclusively this summer (and others as well). They’re actually in amazing condition. I know the Gap and H&M are vile as far as corporations go and I wouldn’t buy from them again but I’m happy that I hoarded all my old clothes and didn’t/couldn’t buy new stuff so that at least I am giving these (and will continue to give them) a full life! I have many more but those are my favourites for some reason.

Maria
28

The vast majority of my wardrobe is actually ‘hand-me-downs’ from my mum! My dad’s a fashion designer and we have a ridiculously large amount of vintage and (Japanese) designer clothes around. I wear my mum’s clothes all the time – whether it’s woollen jumpers she’s made or stuff she bought for weddings. But without a doubt my favourite stuff, and the things I want to continue wearing forever, is the stuff she’s made (or that my grandma made). My grandma made a grey sweater, and it’s just so simple, but I love the fact that it’s boxy and I love the wide neckline.

At age 20, my mum made this tiny woollen crop top that fans out at the back. And it’s so great! You’d never find that in a shop. But I think my favourite is this amazing woollen sweater my mum made for my dad – it’s oversize, and it uses Escher’s Bird Fish pattern. I just love the fact that I get to wear something that was made with such love and skill! And it’s super comfy.

I think the most important thing about reusing clothes is actually – A) Never throwing away anything and B) Buying stuff that will hold up and will look good years later. There are so many things in our house which we just didn’t throw/give away, and waited for it to come back in fashion, and now we get to wear it again!

Lucas
42

About 7 years ago I first started being more conscious about my consumer choices. One of the first items I researched and bought was a pair of jeans from the brand Denham, they have a repair-for-life service and were using quality cotton (I did not yet consider all other social/environmental aspects of sustainability).

They are disintegrating now but I still wear them with love, they are also beyond repair as the denim is now so thin it wouldn’t hold the stitching together.

I bought a leather belt in a Mexican street market while on holiday in 2010, and I’ve worn it at least once a week ever since, the quality is so good it still looks presentable with a pair of chinos and a dress shirt. I expect to be cremated while still wearing this belt.

I dropped out of the corporate world in 2015, packed a few t-shirts and a pair of hiking shoes and took off for about 8 months, one of my favourite long-sleeve is made from merino wool and has been through the heat of hell and served as a great layer in colder climates, that thing is still intact except for a tiny little hole that’s not noticeable.

The shoes trekked with me through northern India and most of SE Asia, then served as running shoes when I took that up and now I just wear them to roll around town.

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Adriana
18

My favourite item of clothing I’ve worn many times is a long black dress with little flowers all over it. This dress had belonged to my mother and before that, to my grandmother. Both of them used to wear it when they were pregnant. I don’t plan to get pregnant anytime soon, but I would love to wear this dress while I’m pregnant with a daughter that will get to wear this dress when she grows up.

I love to wear this dress, especially to parties, since it is very comfortable yet very pretty. I’ve been wearing it for the past three years and I wish I will for a much longer time.

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Phillipa
22

One of my most loved pieces is a pair of corduroy orange shirt-dungarees that my boyfriend thrifted for me in Brighton. They are special to me as after I could not afford the price tag of them in a vintage shop, I sadly left them behind. However, my boyfriend returned to the shop behind my back to buy them for me – which was the cutest surprise!

I’ve had them for two years now and they’ve been well-loved ever since and have come with me to Berlin and Slovenia and will soon be departing with me on a trip to the Netherlands! Because they have a story behind them I love them even more and cherish being able to make them, even more, my own with every wear.

Emily
24

I have many items of clothing that I’ve had in my closet for years, but there are a couple that are particularly special to me I will share. The first is a Wrangler jean jacket that was owned by my Grandma Sheila on my dad’s side. She died when I was quite young, so it’s nice to have a piece of her. I believe that items, especially those we have worn, can carry the energy of the person left behind and of those who made it. I feel safe when I wear it.

I don’t know the exact age of the jacket, it could be anywhere from 30 – 60 years old depending on when she bought it. I like to think it’s the apparel embodiment of ageing gracefully, and wear it all the time – easily one of the most worn items in my closet. I’m excited at the idea of being able to mend and care for it over the years!

Another item I have around that I really love and have worn a ton is a varsity jacket that I keep adding to. The one my high school was selling was 300 USD, and I didn’t want to pay that much so I went to Forever 21 hoping to find a similar one during a varsity jacket trend that hit right at my senior year.

I got lucky because there was a version that happened to be my school colors, green and gold! I know this is about stopping fast fashion, but I have had it for about 7 years and have kept adding to it!

I have my marching band letters; concert band award pins; pieces from all my taekwondo belts and uniform; a sharpshooting patch my Grandma Sheila won, and a bunch of other random ones I have gathered over time!

I always get asked about what is on it, and it’s fun telling the stories. I want to keep adding patches and pins indefinitely until there’s no space left! I think this would get easily spotted as a re-wear because it’s very distinctive! I love wearing it because it jingles a bit when I walk.

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Tee

I have had a love affair with vintage clothing as far back as I can remember.  The punk era of the late seventies was when I was a teenager; I found the DIY ethos exhilarating! Role models such as Debbie Harry and Poly Styrene customised their look with thrifty, charity shop chic, it was punk couture, very individual.  At this point, I wore original sixties winkle picker shoes, oversized men’s shirts and diamanté paste jewellery.

As my income increased, I was fortunate enough to be able to buy designer investment pieces and mix them with my retro finds.  And so it was that in 1986 I purchased my beautiful, bottle green, wool gabardine trench coat, by Cacharel. It cost a month’s wages, even though at the time it was half price in the sale in a boutique on Bond Street – but I still wear it today!

It has never dated and is so well made as to have rarely needed repair and is my signature item.  It isn’t especially distressed – but has a worn-in feel that means it’s aesthetic is not arriviste and it has accompanied me on all my life adventures, it holds so many memories and will no doubt join me on more! Fast fashion quite simply holds no allure in comparison.

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Dora
35

I have a second-hand Mango dress I bought on eBay and loved it ever since. The two summers I couldn’t wear it were when I was heavily pregnant with my children but before and after, it is my must-have for the summer.

Nicole
21

When I was 14 years old, I got a pair of shoes (which I wished for) for Christmas. I absolutely loved them. They were made of leather and you would hardly see me outside not wearing them. They were my all-weather shoes. I wore them from the beginning of September to the beginning of June.

I only gave them a three months long summer-break because it was too hot to wear them (I live in Vienna, Austria). I had these shoes for six years straight and would still wear them if I could find someone who can fix the sole of the shoes because I can feel the ground so much that it nearly feels as if I was going barefoot.

My second piece of favourite item is a green jacket which I ‘borrowed’ from my dad around five years ago for one single night. He never got it back. I love this jacket so much because it is oversized on me, so, I can wear it in the early spring or winter with some other layers underneath it, as well as on a colder summer night. And since it is a men’s jacket, it has a total of six pockets, each so big that I can fit a Penguin book inside. I just absolutely adore and love to wear it.

I am going to wear them until they fall apart and I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world. I also love to be able to see these items and know that they carry so many stories with them.

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Carley
28

I purchased a used Nicole Miller dress at my favourite second-hand store, Wasteland, in San Francisco about two-and-a-half years ago. I was starting to attend more weddings (joy of getting older) but I didn’t want to let the societal pressure of needing to wear a different dress to every wedding I attended.

I also didn’t want to simply purchase a plain black dress to at least have the dress not be memorable if I wanted to wear it over and over. I purchased a used dress I loved, patterned and all. It is now my go-to dress for every wedding—religious (hello long sleeves), secular, indoor (it breathes!), outdoor (did I mention long sleeves), LA, NYC, etc. Maybe I’ll even wear it to be own wedding one day…

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Hannah
25

I have always been a massive hoarder who hates throwing things away. I stopped growing as a young teenager and can’t reach the top shelves, but it does have the benefit that most of my old clothes still fit so I’ve never had to get rid of them! But I particularly love the vintage 80s prom dress that I bought when I was 15 and was beginning to take an interest in thrift shopping.

It has a velvet bodice (which was too long, so, I took it up) and these amazing puffy electric blue sleeves and skirt. I can’t count the number of parties I’ve worn it to but I wore it the New Year’s Eve just gone. 10 years and this dress is still going strong.

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Izzy
22

It’s really hard to pick one item but I will just talk about one because otherwise, I’ll discuss most of my wardrobe, but a pair of hand-me-down dungarees that I found in the back of a cupboard, once belonging to my sister, are definitely one of my most worn items of clothing. They’re comfy and practical and I just love wearing them.

Sadly, they are getting a little bit small for me now but my Nan is very happy to take them off my hands when I find another pair of second-hand dungarees! I’m happy they’ll stay in the family and keep getting worn even if I can’t.

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Do you have a love story about clothes re-wearing you’d like to share? Share it in the comments or submit it below (in case of a Part 2)!

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Whenever I’m asked for advice on experiencing fashion sustainably (I’ve decided I prefer to say experiencing over shopping because consumption isn’t the be-all and end-all of this issue), I tend to always answer with, “Ask questions“, which initially stemmed back to how I came to educate myself on fast fashion’s human and environmental impact.

Fashion Revolution, the organisation that played a big part in my education and understanding of the industry, bases its main campaign around “Who made my clothes?” and asking brands for transparency but to me, this sense of curiosity and urge to ask questions should go further.

With the likes of Extinction Rebellion’s new fashion boycott spurring on more people to analyse their shopping habits and questioning whether we need to be buying any clothes at all (once we already have a decent amount to wear), I believe it’s important to evaluate how we approach shopping – or avoiding it (which I’ve discussed here) – and the language we use.  We need to ask ourselves. We need to slow down and understand how we truly feel, and especially when shopping, we need to avoid certain phrases…

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“I need this.”

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Admittedly, there are times when necessity does come into play. Whether it be for work or school or because something you already own has been damaged or stained to a point of no repair, there are times when ‘needing’ something is excusable. However, there’s a stark contrast between genuinely needing something and labelling an impulse purchase as a necessary one.

I’ve definitely experienced plenty of those, “That’s so me!”, squeal-worthy moments, so, it might seem nitpickish to call this out as an issue but it’s all part of consciously shifting your mindset and attitude towards shopping.

Now that the majority of my shopping occurs on a second-hand basis, I truly understand the difference between needing and wanting. This doesn’t mean that I’m numb to impulse and spontaneous purchases; charity and thrift shops can still bring out that sense of excitement and temporary fulfilment in you but it just comes with minimised guilt.

For me, this distinction between necessity and longing extends to my blog and my approach to receiving samples and gifted products. If I don’t need it or if I already have a similar item in my possession then I will politely decline.

There’s no issue in wanting, in fact, I’ve previously written all about actively lusting over items and why I believe wish lists can be more useful than I once deemed them to be.

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“I probably didn’t need this.”

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Similarly, this is a phrase which derives from impulse purchases and is almost the exact opposite attitude of what somebody who labels themselves as a ‘conscious consumer’ might have. In simple terms, if you probably didn’t need it, then why did you buy it? ‘Treat yo’ self’ culture is something that we’ve all become fairly desensitized to and it’s understandable, seeing as retail therapy is scientifically proven to be just that – a form of dopamine-inducing therapy.

Shopping sustainably though (or avoiding shopping altogether), is all about taking your time to mull over your decisions and work out what the best option is. To shop, or not to shop? That is the question!

Limiting the number of times we fall back onto the excuse of treating ourselves, is a way of not only restricting the size of our wardrobes but a way of saving ourselves money in the long-run.

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“I’m not sure why I bought this.”

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I see this to be different to the previous two phrases because it doesn’t just suggest that what you bought was an impulse purchase; it also suggests the attitude you might have towards the item in the future. Shopping sustainably also means owning responsibly.

Fashion Revolution coined the phrase “Loved clothes last”, meaning that if we care and respect our clothes, no matter how ethically produced they were or what materials they are made of, they will ultimately last longer because we will do our best to look after them.

(However, this is not a reason to fall back into the habit of supporting unsustainable and unethical brands just because we know we can make their products last. That’s like continuing to use single-use plastic bottles just because you can refill them over and over; there are other ways of doing things that won’t be harmful to start off with.)

None of these phrases strictly imply that you’re living and consuming unsustainably but I believe that what we say and think about our clothes and what we bring into our lives can have a huge effect on our mindset towards consumption. So, if we can change our attitude towards genuinely knowing why we buy what we buy, it could help us all be far more considerate.

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“It’s really in trend right now.”

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Aside from the sustainability aspect, the lack of guilt and the fact that it’s a habit I’ve had since I was a child, one reason I love shopping second-hand is that it allows so much more room for individuality.

Clothes are not separated into styles and seasons (at most, you might find clothes organised by colour) and there are no look books and stylised campaigns to influence your decision making. There are no trends, which makes avoiding this phrase relatively easy.

Trends and the vast amount which are generated by the fashion industry’s constant cycle of seasons, maintain the rate of production of new garments and feed into this idea that what we are wearing and searching for, is never enough. There will always be another season with another set idea of what we should be wearing, therefore, another reason to buy.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying trends but I recommend taking the time to sit with those feelings and analyse them once the peak of the trend has passed. I use apps like Depop and the Saved function of Instagram to store trend-led items for sale so I can source them sustainably in the future if the style is still something I appreciate.

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“I really need to stop buying more [insert item of clothing]…”

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This is the phrase which I believe is easiest to scrap entirely. Don’t get me wrong, it’s understandable (and even appreciated) when somebody owns something in their wardrobe in a selection of different colourways because it’s a dress/shirt/pair of trousers that fits and suits them better than anything else – for some people, that’s essential, especially when it comes to finding the right sizing (even more so from an ethical or sustainably focused brand which might not always have the most inclusive size-ranges).

When it comes to your wardrobe as a whole though, it’s time to recognise when enough is enough. For me? I don’t need any more blouses and tops. I have too many to balance out the number of bottoms (trousers, shorts and skirts) that I own.

That doesn’t mean that I’m going to suddenly decrease the size of my wardrobe (a smaller wardrobe doesn’t necessarily make a more sustainable one) but it does mean I need to be making the conscious effort to stop adding more in the future, even if it is from a guilt-free source like a local charity shop.

Analyse your wardrobe and figure out what your limit is. From my experience, physically limiting myself (with a lack of storage space or from living out of a suitcase) has meant I’ve been able to calculate this more easily.

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What other phrases can you avoid to achieve a more sustainable mindset? Suggest them in the comments!

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I recently had the chance to attend what is called an ‘evidence hearing’ at the Victoria & Albert Museum in South Kensington, London, as part of the UK Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee‘s inquiry into sustainable fashion. This is actually an incredibly exciting time, as the inquiry may go onto help aid the Government to ensure we are starting to create a newer, more environmentally conscious fashion industry.

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  LOCATION:
Victoria & Albert Museum
London

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I had the opportunity to sit down with Mary Creagh, an MP (Member of Parliament) and the Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, which is the group responsible for considering how the Government is doing in terms of environmental protection and sustainable development in the UK. The committee was behind securing the recent ban on microbeads in cosmetics products and hopefully, with the sustainable fashion inquiry, they will go on to do much more.

I know that a lot of people will be new to the concept of a parliamentary inquiry – trust me, I am too! – so, I want to discuss what it all means, as well as some takeaways from the evidence session itself. Some of those giving evidence at the hearing included Eco-Age founder, Livia Firth; journalist and writer, Lucy Siegle; the Sustainability & Innovation Director of Stella McCartney, Claire Bergkamp, and the Director and Professor of Fashion Design for Sustainability, Dilys Wiliams.

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There were two clear take-aways for me, not only from the evidence session that I attended but also from the initial session which I watched on live stream (both of which you can watch here). Firstly, it’s that, as Dilys Williams so rightly said, the system and the model of fast-fashion are broken. There is no way in which we can continue producing and consuming at the same rate that we are, in a sustainable manner – this goes for the UK and elsewhere.

The Ellen McArthur foundation states that textile production uses around 93 million cubic metres of water and an estimated 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, per year, which is more than flights and maritime shipping combined. And in the UK specifically, the consumption of clothing itself is rapidly rising, alongside disposal rates, with 350,000 tonnes of clothes being discarded to landfill, according to WRAP.

In terms of statistics, these are all numbers that a lot of us have already considered or educated ourselves on but there’s more to it than that. In the first evidence hearing, a common theme regarding the initial design process of our clothing arose and it was brought up again at the V&A with fashion designer, Phoebe English, speaking on the panel. She reminded us of the large amounts of waste created before a garment even gets on the shop floor. After describing the pattern cutting process, Phoebe said, “There is waste from every single garment on the high street. Where is that waste going?”.

There are many different elements to the conversation and that’s the second takeaway that became very apparent; what recommendations does a committee put forward to a Government, when there are so many angles and specific issues to focus on? There is no one set solution to creating a sustainable fashion industry. Even when we say the system is broken and creating a new one seems like the only answer, a new system will always come with its challenges, too.

For example, a circular fashion industry could work in theory but only if you’re also looking at circularity in a social sense, as Dilys Williams suggested. A circular economy is a regenerative system which thrives on reuse, remanufacturing, repairing and recycling but we can’t transform the fashion industry into a closed-loop system unless the consumer mindset shifts dramatically, and that is a great feat we face.

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One of the suggestions relating to the idea of circularity, once again came from Professor Dilys Williams – perhaps a recommendation to the Government could come in the form of reduced VAT on repair services, which as Graeme Raeburn (one half of the Christopher Raeburn duo) pointed out is something that has already been executed in Sweden.

Although we may not be at a point in time where the general public has learned how to darn socks and tailor trousers, if we allow services for these repairs to become more accessible, it could cause a shift in how we appreciate clothing and in turn, create an environmental shift, too.

Along with circularity, the Scottish Government has already started in this direction with the ‘Make Things Last‘ strategy which has trialled large-scale reuse and repair hubs.

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Myself and Mary Creagh, MP at the Victoria & Albert Museum, Fashioned from Nature exhibition

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The complexity of the issues at hand go as far as advertising and how fast-fashion actually affects us all psychologically. If fast-fashion and unsustainably produced textiles are as destructive to ourselves and the environment as products that we see on the shelves of supermarkets, with labels to warn us of toxic ingredients that could potentially cause us bodily harm, is it time that legislation is put in place in order to make consumers more aware of what they’re really buying into? Is it time that we are shown the true cost of a £5 t-shirt before we reach the checkout, bringing back what Lucy Siegle called a ‘pause for thought before buying‘ that’s been stripped away with such fast consumption habits?

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As I now personally have a large understanding of many of the issues raised at the evidence hearing, it’s been clear to me that the system is broken for quite some time now, but it’s even clearer that we are in dire need of answering a pivotal question, which was once again raised by Professor Dilys Williams…

Do we want to keep the current industry or do we want to live within planetary boundaries? 

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If you want to learn more about the Environmental Audit Committee and the ‘Sustainability of the fashion industry inquiry‘, take a look at the Parliament website. Follow the committee on Twitter @CommonsEAC and voice your thoughts with #EACFixingFashion.

 

In early 2016, I was still buying fast-fashion, even knowing that my purchase wouldn’t benefit anything other than my itch for wanting something new…

Circa April 2013, I was sat in my living room, rocking back and forth in my chair as I read the news of the Rana Plaza disaster. This was the very first time I considered that the industry I loved might have scary and dangerous consequences. I was thirteen but go ahead and call me uneducated or close-minded if you so wish.

The little I did know was extremely simple (and rather inaccurate) and barely scratched the surface on the real issues at hand – the clothes I bought were inexpensive because they were made cheaply and the more expensive they were, the higher quality they would be.

What literal schooling and the school-of-life hadn’t taught me was that cheaply really meant, unfairly. There’s always a reason why products are priced lowly or highly, after all. But for child and pre-teen me, it was exciting to shop, no matter how things were made.

It was an experience, one which I mostly shared with my mum and my sister. We’d go out on the weekends and we’d browse the latest offerings, piling up clothes to take to the changing rooms where we’d laugh and giggle when things didn’t fit right and joyously celebrate when a dress was ‘perfect’ and ‘so you’ (and also didn’t break the bank).

My sister moved out before I ever reached my tenth birthday so those shopping trips lessened. However, they only became more cherished when she’d come back to see me and we’d do what we hadn’t been able to do for however long it had been.

I’d go on days out with my mum too because that was what we did to treat ourselves, with Southampton’s West Quay being the destination of our choice.

To avoid being stereotypical and saying that only the women in my life were shopping-til-they-dropped, I also used to plan days out with my dad where we’d spend one-on-one time dressing each other up and treating ourselves to a KFC afterwards (it was a treat, thank you very much; their baked beans are second-to-none.)

This was all ordinary behaviour and to this day in western culture, still is. We go into town with our friends and we make a full day of it. You can make memories in high-street changing rooms.

Thankfully for me, I was never brought up to avoid charity shops or vintage stores despite the stigma that surrounds them, so, without even knowing it I often balanced out my new purchases with more sustainable ones.

I’d say the closest I got to a proper formal education on the negative aspect to our clothes and the fashion industry, would have been a school trip to a local landfill where we saw the piles of rubbish which included perfectly usable textiles.

Other than that, it took the collapse of a garment factory home to the products of Primark, for me to finally embark upon my ethical fashion journey.

It took me until summer 2016 to properly bid farewell to those sorts of purchases (excluding underwear – you can read why that is here), even though I was well aware that there were better alternatives and reasons to consume more consciously.

A lot of it had to do with my shopping habits rather than the actual clothes I was buying, though. It’s almost as if you experience withdrawal symptoms and every now and then you have to fall back into fast-fashions grasp and use the good ol’ excuse of ‘treating yourself’ but since when did treating yourself mean buying something which was made without people and the planet in mind?

Technically, your dopamine levels are the only part of the equation that is being treated, or, maybe the water used to make the fabric of your new dress, just with toxic chemicals, dyes and plastic micro-fibres.

I am by no means perfect, currently. For instance, I shop second-hand but I pay no attention to the fabrics I’m buying and now that I’m more educated, I know more about the impacts of other aspects of my life, yet I haven’t made many changes in those other problem areas.

It takes time to become more conscious individually and the rest of the industry following will also take time. It’s one of the reasons we need to shout about it loudly and proudly because the quicker it happens, the better!

The more you educate yourself and allow yourself to question what you’re used to, the easier it will become to make the right choices for you. It will also make it a lot easier for other people who haven’t even considered other ways of shopping and experiencing fashion, to educate themselves too.

My consumption habits and patterns in 2016 were tremendously better than those I had in 2013 and the ones I have now make me feel content and comfortable, however, there will always be room for improvement. If you feel hopeless or perhaps even a little guilty, take a breather and put things into perspective.

Take a trip down memory lane and take a look at the changes you’ve made so far. Is there anything more you can be doing now?

Do you have any ethical goals you’d like to achieve? Is there anything you want to learn more about? If my thirteen-year-old self had asked herself those questions, I’m sure I would have reached the stage I’m at now, far sooner.

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Here are some Q&As to break-down my ethical journey…

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When did I first become aware of the issues of fast-fashion?

Around 2013 – early 2014. The main chunk of my education came from the documentary, The True Cost, which was released around the same time. You can watch it on Netflix.

What was my first ethical purchase?

Other than the dozens and dozens of second-hand items I’ve consumed in my life, I believe it was an ASOS Africa blouse. Although ASOS may not be the most ethical or sustainable brand and I don’t know too much about how it was manufactured, I think it was a good starting place and allowed me to slowly transition from shopping there frequently to making more considered choices.

When was my last fast-fashion purchase?

I can’t remember the exact time or date or which purchase was officially the last but the four items I do remember buying last year (in the early months and possibly towards the end of 2015) were a pair of Motivi floral trousers, a Pull & Bear jumper and a pair of jeans, and an embroidered white shirt from Stradivarius (the latter two brands of which are owned by Inditex).

Although these purchases weren’t ethical, they are all still in my wardrobe. I’ve worn the floral trousers so much that the zip is now broken (and will soon be fixed, I promise!) and I probably won’t be buying any other jeans for a fair few years.

I don’t condone boycotting on a mass scale but if you can shop with alternative brands – which I believe most of you reading this will be able to do, even if it means not shopping at all for a while -, then avoiding fast-fashion is what I highly advise.

What has been one of the biggest struggles so far?

Not being able to buy anything overly elaborate or ‘out there’. By that I mean, not browsing through ASOS’s new-in and buying a ruffled midi-dress which is half-floral and half-sequin (that’s the first item that caught my eye on a very brief look at their latest offerings).

I’ve perfectly adapted to this change and I believe it’s made me make much more versatile style choices meaning my wardrobe is far more wearable than it ever was before, but I can understand why it’s easy to succumb to pieces that are totally out there and not easily accessible elsewhere (unless you’re making it yourself).

What is my next goal as a conscious consumer?

In terms of fashion purchases, I want to consider the fabrics I’m buying, whether that’s new or second-hand. I want to avoid bringing more polyester and man-made materials into my life to avoid the unwanted breakdown of fibres when washing, as well as wanting to consider the affects fabrics have on my body – who knows what chemicals are in what we wear?

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Are you a conscious consumer? How far along are you on your ethical journey? What are your ethical goals? Share them in the comments!

 

A while ago, I made the conscious decision to rid my blog of any content using product images, in the hopes to make my site more organic and a place where I only featured items I owned and loved. Most of that content came in the form of wish lists. After reading a piece at around the same time by my Twitter buddy and fellow teen blogger, Eleanor Claudie, I’ve been mulling over why maybe we should all start to rethink wish lists and why they’re fit for purpose for more than just your Christmas or birthday lists as a child…

Although it’s a lot easier to see something of a higher price as an investment, I personally like to see everything we obtain and buy as an investment in itself especially when it comes to our clothes.

It’s easy to walk into a high-street store and take the low prices for granted; if you don’t like something after a few weeks or months of buying it, it doesn’t have to break the bank to pass it on or throw it away without much thought.

I know I’ve come across plenty of still-new and still-labelled items in charity shops which shows the short amount of time it can take for something to come in and out of our wardrobes (it even makes me think people have forgotten returning items for a refund is a viable option).

This throw-away culture has become easier for me to avoid and understand over the past couple of years not only due to my knowledge of consumerism but also due to the fact that as I near adulthood (6 months!), I know that what I buy is mine and will be with me when I leave home and create my own haven for collecting and storing what I own.

This even crosses over into other parts of my life, like home décor – I’ve curated a style I like and I have posters and prints that I one day want to have framed and hung on the wall. They may not be of use to me now but I know they’ll be of use to me in the future.

What we buy now should last us for years. There’s really no excuse for buying something now and not liking it after 30 days (the usual time allowed for returns and refunds for most stores); it’s a mindless way of buying, whichever way you look at it.

I take this to the extent of properly considering what I buy second-hand, too. Due to the fact that second-hand shopping doesn’t have many consequences or cons to it, it’s easy to want to buy everything you set your eyes on but the same principle still stands. Do you really need what you’re buying?

I’ve previously discussed ways to know whether you’ll actually end up wearing what you buy and one of the tips I suggested was ‘sleeping on it’. Here’s a quote directly from that post which a fair few of you found helpful…

“If you walk away from something you catch your eye on, you’ll know for definite if it’s really worth buying if you sleep on it and wake up still thinking about it.”

Perhaps as a child, we never took this too seriously. We might not have written down what Bratz doll we wanted after sleeping on it for weeks and weeks – yes, I played with Bratz, Barbies and the odd Action Man – but we wrote it down and waited and if we were lucky and fortunate enough, it would show up under our tree on Christmas morning or wrapped up on our birthday, and we would go on to treasure the gift because it hadn’t been bought for us on impulse.

Not only do wish lists make us think through our purchases more considerately, they also give us time to think about our budgets which can be helpful especially with items which are priced a little higher. You’ll be more certain about how worthwhile the purchase is and you’ll be more certain you can afford it, too.

So, what’s on your wish list currently? What do you really love but are willing to wait for? Here’s a list of items that I’d quite like to add to my wardrobe…

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~ MY WISHLIST ~

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Of course, everything is better in moderation and I would recommend you limit the number of wishlists you compile because otherwise, it defeats the whole purpose of more considerate choices. If you want some easy ways to create a wishlist without putting pen to paper, you can use a notepad on your laptop or create a bookmark folder on your browser.

Make sure to subscribe to my newsletter if you want to see more of what I’m loving, from time-to-time.

 

Let’s take a breather on the Lost Shapes x TDP content, shall we? For this post, you could say the alternative title would be – How I’ve Lost Touch with Trends and What Goes on at Fashion Week…

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WHAT I WORE: Navy Livia Jumpsuit (People Tree)* // Printed Jacket €5.00 (Charity Shop) // Clarabella Handbag £33.00 (What Daisy Did)* // Recycled Denim Choker (Yours Again)* // Sunglasses (Topshop – old) // Pink Flatform Sandals (New Look – old)*

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A couple of years ago, perhaps even only last year, you would have seen me live streaming London Fashion Week and scribbling notes down as each dress came down the catwalk; I used to print out the show schedule even though I wasn’t attending and I’d get in touch with PRs just in case I was nearby when September and February rolled around. I was drawn in by the drama and excitement of it all and I couldn’t wait to spot fellow bloggers sat on the ‘FROW’ of Topshop Unique.

Fast-forward to now, if you asked me what the latest trends were, I’d panic and stare at you with wide eyes and hesitantly give a good guess… “The eighties?”, I might say, perhaps I’d even follow it up with a mumbled, “Ruffles?”, but I’d never be quite sure because the last time I really paid attention to the going-on’s of the catwalks and the seasonal trends that trickle down from that, was the last time I shopped with a fast-fashion brand.

I suppose at first I wanted to realise why is this; what made me lose interest? As a designer (2 co-branded collections under my belt, thank you very much), when you research for collections, you often look at what other designers are working on – you look at trends and how past eras and styles are being channelled through into more up-to-date times.

It’s all part of the research and it’s why it wouldn’t have been an absurd guess for me to have said “The eighties” when we went through a whole period of reigniting the decade before that, for a good few years. As someone who can admit that non-ethical or sustainably focused clothes can still be appealing to me (aesthetically, that is), I find it hard to say the reasoning behind my sudden disinterest in these trends is completely and solely a moral one, if I’m still being drawn in by the news that ASHISH are collaborating with River Island.

However, it is true that I’ve unfollowed a handful of my former high-street loves on social media and I’ve probably drowned out a number of luxury designers that I’m influenced by, by connecting with more positive and sustainably focused ones. But, why would that mean I’m now completely out of the loop?

If you’re already a conscious consumer and you’ve researched these sort of things, the answer might be fairly unsurprising – maybe supporting ethical fashion just doesn’t allow for acknowledging trends and the major fashion months every season? It’s commonly said that trends and conscious consumerism don’t play well hand-in-hand; in fact, avoiding them is one of my tips in my list of 10 simple ways to ‘keep on asking’.

If we want to steer the fashion industry into a more positive direction, slowing down trends and how we shop would make a huge difference because the rate at which we produce, consume and throw-away new styles and ideas is simply unsustainable. So, it’s no wonder that trend focused ethical brands aren’t really a ‘thing’ and it’s no wonder my grasp on it all, has slipped. Ethical brands that I admire don’t even tend to talk about trends on social media and collections don’t always get released at seasonal times for the likes of “S/S” and “A/W”.

I opened up this conversation in the #EthicalHour Facebook group and had some brilliant responses, a lot of them reiterating the fact that shopping for fashion consciously is more about long-lasting purchases and shapes and fabrics you know will last years on end.

When I (and others) talk about conscious consumerism, we’re not talking about the idea of not shopping at all (I really don’t expect anyone to wear the same clothes for their whole entire life, even if these Sardinian women have other ideas), we’re simply talking about slowing down – slow fashion, is perhaps a more useful term to use in this scenario, and releasing major collections for every season, doesn’t really add up.

But there are ways around this – if you want to shop a trend ethically, you might find that brands designs overlap with current styles even if it isn’t purposefully. And you can scour your local charity and second-hand shops to find pieces which will match up perfectly, anyway. Trends come in cycles; everything is re-used, just not necessarily in the way we want it to be.

So, it is possible to stay on trend, it might just become less of a priority to you once you start to change your shopping habits and you might find, like me, you’ll lose touch with how fashions and trends change altogether. That might sound a bit alarming but in one way, it makes style a lot more fun to play with – who needs trends when you can dress to look different to everyone else whilst being ethical? Not me!

Do you think it’s possible to shop with trends and ethics in mind? Let’s discuss it in the comments…

 

In celebration of the launch of Lost Shapes x Tolly Dolly Posh last week, I thought I would explore the meanings behind each design and turn them in to helpful articles for you to use and put into practice. First up is my Keep on Asking design. You may have heard me suggest these ideas in many blog posts before but that’s just how important I think they are. Here are 10 simple ways to keep on asking…

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~ SHOP LOST SHAPES X TOLLY DOLLY POSH ~
Featured: Keep on Asking

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1. Use your voice on social media…

Although I understand that “clicktivism” isn’t always the most powerful tool, especially when it’s thrown in amongst content that is quite the opposite, if you have a platform, I definitely advise using it. Even if you’re not necessarily a blogger or don’t specifically use social media to reach a specific audience, just one click might inspire one person to follow in your ethical and conscious footsteps.

2. …and your voice in real life…

As I said, empowering and inspiring on social media isn’t always the answer, so get out there and talk to people you know about these issues in real life. Even if just means casually dropping in a question or thought about ethical fashion whilst you’re shopping with a friend, it’s the same principle – it may just cause a chain reaction. Ask your friend or family member if they’ve ever thought about where their clothes come from or how something can be priced so cheaply.

3. Ask yourself questions…

It’s all well and good subtly dropping these questions and concerns into a conversation but if we’re not repeatedly asking ourselves these questions, then how can we become more conscious? Ask yourself if the action you’re taking is the best one – could I recycle this shirt differently? Do I really know where my dress came from? Is the label telling me enough?

4. Join in with #WhoMadeMyClothes…

I’ve encouraged this enough and it was one of the main inspirations behind the slogan t-shirt in my collaboration. Every year, Fashion Revolution asks consumers and customers to ask brands who made their clothes to push for transparency and challenge what we know of the fashion industry.

5. Take longer to decide before buying…

Use my helpful guide on how to know if you’ll actually wear what you’re buying if you want to work out easier ways to decide on your purchases beforehand. This can really help us all become more sustainable.

6. Write a letter to brands you love…

Using Fashion Revolution’s helpful guides, write a letter or a post card to a brand that you love. Admittedly I have yet to do this, so perhaps I’ll report back in the near future when I give it a shot myself. Writing a letter could bury a seed into the mind of someone has more power than somebody reading a brand’s social media feeds and really shows you’re willing to put in the effort for something you feel strongly about.

7. Look for warning signs…

Are you being greenwashed? Do you even know what greenwashing means? Learning how to identify signs of a product or brand not being quite as eco-friendly or ethical as it seems can help us avoid buying into the idea of sustainability and ethics being a trend. I spoke about greenwashing here and I hope it helps you keep your eyes peeled.

8. Question price…

…because your t-shirt shouldn’t cost less than your trip to Starbucks. Price doesn’t mean everything; just because an item is more expensive doesn’t mean it is immediately more ethical. In my opinion, you shouldn’t trust any brand that is selling at absurdly low prices (I’m talking about the likes of Primark and H&M) because it’s obvious they are cutting corners. At the same time, research brands that charge more so you know what you’re really paying for and investing in.

9. See if you can find an alternative…

If you know what you’re buying isn’t necessarily ethical, perhaps hold up on purchasing and see if you can find an ethical alternative or even a second-hand one. This ties in with taking longer to decide before buying but is especially important if you’re either investing in a product or re-purchasing an essential wardrobe item that you might benefit investing in, anyway. Quality lasts, folks!

10. Don’t take anything at face value…

This final step is really the whole idea of asking questions and pushing for transparency. We need to know as much as possible in order to make conscious and considered decisions that will not only help us but other people and the planet. Ask questions, even if they seem simple and easy to answer – they should be if they’re not already.

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A seed of a thought was planted in my mind a while ago when I read To Die For by Lucy Siegle (click the link for my review). One part of wearing ethical and sustainable clothes, is sending out a message about what you stand for, and Lucy touches on this in her book. But mixing this idea with logos makes it all the more important to pay attention to. Why? Let’s discuss…

I might seem a little drastic to jump to the idea of thinking of our subconscious but with the idea of sustainability slowly trickling down to the everyday shopper (even if it’s through the rather controversial and possibly green-washed campaigns by the likes of H&M), what messages people are fed, even when they’re not purposefully thinking about it, all play a role in what happens next.

The idea in Lucy’s book that really stood out to me, was the idea of wearing faux-fur. Any kind of vegan material is suspicious to me (can we really say plastic alternatives to leathers are sustainable? I think not) but there are obviously many reasons why people avoid buying real fur.

The question was – by wearing any kind of fur, fake or vintage, aren’t we still showing the world that we appreciate and see fur as something wearable? That got the ball rolling for me, and it’s brought me back around to logos and labels, as the title of this post suggests.

If we’re wearing a visible logo, how does this affect how people view our ethical views? Again, admittedly that sounds drastic to think about but as somebody who owns a pair of Nike trainers, yet stands by going against sweatshops, what does that say about me, when someone looks at my feet?

You might be thinking – does anybody really pay that much attention? Probably not. In fact, people are more likely to pay more attention to what you’re wearing on Instagram to what you’re wearing in real life (the same question still applies though), so perhaps the idea is more of a moral one.

Is it right to wear a Prada logo even when the shirt was bought second-hand? That’s my most recent query, after picking one up from a charity shop. Luxury doesn’t automatically mean ethical, after all, and nobody in passing will necessarily know I re-used an item which would have otherwise had been wasted.

Taking the question about faux-fur and adapting it a little; by wearing a label attached to an unethical brand, new or vintage, aren’t we still showing the world that we in some way appreciate and see fast-fashion as something to be worn and supported?

Visibility to me, is what I think is important. Bold, glaring logos which are immediately recognisable will say something to people in passing (or on social media), no matter how subconscious the connection is.

This doesn’t mean to say I think we should all be throwing out anything we own which is branded (never throw out clothes just because what you own isn’t ethical – keep them for longer), but it is to say I think we should shop more consciously with what message we’re putting out there in mind, especially when the message is easy to recognise and judge. Yeah, I’m saying – avoid that Gucci style Topshop-logo splashed t-shirt that’s apparently currently on sale (or you know, Topshop in general.)

“What about non-visible logos?” I hear you cry – well, as I just said, do not fear if your wardrobe is packed with them already (and by that I mean, Primark or other fast-fashion labels, like I myself still own), as it’s better to prolong their life in your wardrobe than rid of them completely. Also, as I’ve been asked this in the past and also rather recently, yes, it’s okay to shop second-hand even if what you’re buying was originally made or sourced unethically. Your money isn’t going directly into the hands of the industry, so you’re safe to shop fast-fashion in the second-hand world.

Have you ever thought about what logos you’re wearing say about you? Let me know in the comments!

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SPEAKING OF LOGOS…

…you’ll soon be able to wear mine on the back of your t-shirt! And yes, it will be ethical. I’ve finally announced my upcoming collection with Lost Shapes which will be available to buy on September 7th, 2017. YAY!

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Do you feel inspired? If so, perhaps you might be interested in nominating Tolly Dolly Posh for an Observer Ethical Award. If you believe my commitment to ethical fashion is award-winning, click this link and leave my name, link and a few words in the Young Green Leaders category. 

 

The title of this post may sound familiar if you follow my Facebook page (you can do so by clicking here) as a while ago I brought up the matter in response to several messages I’d had from friends, family and people I knew online. Most of the messages had a similar theme – they were apologies for shopping fast-fashion.

However, I’m putting it out there – I’m not the ethical police. Nor is anyone else who is an advocate for ethics and sustainability and moving the industry (and world) in a more positive direction. I’ve never come across anyone who has pointed out somebody’s wrong doings within this realm (unless it’s been pointed in the direction of a major brand or company as a whole) and I wouldn’t even necessarily jump to saying they’re ‘wrong doings’.

Of course, whatever I put out there into the world with promoting this new way of thinking – technically it’s not that new but awareness is still growing – in terms of conscious consumerism and how we wear our clothes, I do it all with the intent of trying to inspire others to do the same. It’s my goal.

I want you to listen to what I have to say and hopefully, in some respect, take it to heart. I believe we should be changing our ways. This isn’t something we can just sit back and ignore anymore. We have a duty, especially within my generation of younger people (it’s our future, folks), to make changes.

So yes, I will celebrate people who start to implement these ideas and changes because I understand that at first, it can seem daunting, as if you need to change everything you know in life in order to be conscious (I’m not over exaggerating here – I have seen people expressing how impossible it seems).

But, will I ever call you out for going against all of this? No. Should you feel guilty about it? No. Why? Well… because four years ago I was cheering on the fact that Primark was stocked on ASOS and I wasn’t batting an eyelid to what brands sent me in the post to feature on my blog.

It takes time to adjust and it takes time to learn. I don’t want anyone to come to me feeling guilty or down because I’m no perfect example of anything, I’m just attempting to shine a light on the darkness of this industry. In fact, I may even give you a proud pat on the head if you ever confess to fast-fashion purchases because it shows how aware you are (although please refrain from doing so, as this post suggests). Having your eyes open and being honest with yourself is key in becoming more conscious and thoughtful in the way you live and shop, whether that be in fashion or elsewhere.

This post is simply to say – you can take a step back and relax if all of this ethical and sustainable jargon and information is getting you down in the dumps, or if you slipped up and indulged on something which doesn’t have a clear label on it. I want my blog to be a space where we’re not focusing on doing wrong; we’re focusing on doing better.

If you want some tips on how to do just that rather than worrying yourself into ethically-induced anxiety, then click some of the links below. They might be handy for if you’re new around here, too!

~ HANDY ETHICAL ADVICE ~

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Do you feel inspired? If so, perhaps you might be interested in nominating Tolly Dolly Posh for an Observer Ethical Award. If you believe my commitment to ethical fashion is award winning, click this link and leave my name, link and a few words in the Young Green Leaders category. 

 

Changing your shopping habits can often feel daunting and intimidating and you might be left not knowing where to start. Or you’ll most probably be told that second-hand shopping is the route to take. During a read of Clothing Poverty by Andrew Brooks, I conjured up a lot of thoughts and feelings surrounding the topic and why second-hand shopping isn’t the best answer to sustainable fashion.

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Outfit from: Sustainable Alternatives to Leather

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If you’re a long-time reader of my blog or even just a recent reader of my blogger, you’ll know I’m a dedicated advocate to second-hand, pre-loved, used or vintage clothing. There are so many benefits to buying and wearing clothes and fashionable items that have been worn before and that are in close-to-perfect condition to be used again, so I don’t want anybody to jump to the conclusion I am now against the idea.

For background knowledge; I’ve grown up with accepting and appreciating second-hand fashion. I’ve never found a problem with it. I’ve never been put off or disturbed by the idea of wearing something that isn’t “NWT” (new with tags). Especially since becoming more independent of my own budget and even my own style, second-hand clothing has given me the opportunity to refresh and add to my wardrobe whilst it not being out of my reach.

Over the years, I’ve spent more money at charity shops and at jumble sales, than I have with a brand like Topshop (in fact, I can list everything I own from Topshop straight off the top of my head; a single pair of socks and sunglasses).

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Outfits from: Why It’s Okay to Feel Okay // Recycled & DIY Denim

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Not only has second-hand shopping benefited my small teenage budget, I also know it has benefitted the environment. What I’ve saved from being taken to a landfill or donated elsewhere, has been added to my wardrobe to be worn even more times than it already had been by its previous owner. If 84% of unwanted clothes in America went into a landfill or an incinerator in 2012, then I’ve participated in playing my part in lowering that number (the number is still obscene in Europe and elsewhere).

I’m also by no means saying second-hand shopping isn’t sustainable. Purchasing second-hand is sustainable, so long as you care for the items as much as you would something new, continue prolonging its life length and that you’re not disposing of them shortly after purchasing just because they’ve had a previous life. My reasoning for suggesting that it isn’t the best answer to sustainable fashion comes from the industry rather than second-hand shopping alone.

Not only have I always appreciated second-hand shopping, I have also always known I’ve wanted to work in fashion (design, specifically). I adore clothes and the ability that comes with them to express ourselves and I don’t want to see that fade. Fashion is a separate entity to ‘clothing’ as such, in the sense that fashion is what changes.

Fashion doesn’t just affect our clothes, it affects other industries like beauty, TV and film, and even sports and lifestyle. The way that fashion works, is what we want to change and understanding that makes it clear how second-hand shopping isn’t the answer.

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Outfit from: How to Grow up as a Teen Blogger

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Second-hand shopping is an alternative way to start on your journey of becoming more ethically and sustainably conscious as a consumer, it’s not the way to change the fashion industry, and in particular, fast-fashion as a whole. Second-hand shopping is also a way that not all can necessarily partake in.

I understand that curating most of your wardrobe out of previously used garments is in some way, a privilege, especially with sizing. It can also be an unrealistic option if a lot of your purchases of clothing are based on workwear and a specific style – shopping for a strict dress code is most probably going to be easier when buying new (although not impossible to do second-hand, of course).

If we want to change the industry and how it works, whether that be with mindset or manufacturing, we need to focus on the repeat offenders – the big name brands which hold the majority of the power. This doesn’t mean boycotting. Another topic which I would like to research in more detail before discussing it on my blog is the idea of abandoning high-street and fast-fashion brands altogether.

In Fashion Revolution’s fanzine, the Agony Aunt section focused on this. The quick and simple answer? Boycotting only works in large numbers and when it does, it can negatively impact garment workers.

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Hauls from: Autumn Shopping // Second-hand Shopping

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(I currently don’t shop from any fast-fashion brands, the reason of which is a combination of my ethical beliefs and stance on the issues I discuss on my blog, but also because I have a teen budget and simply don’t want to support the way fast-fashion brands work with the very little disposable income I have.)

Shopping ethically is what we want to do in the meantime, just like second-hand shopping, but it’s all with the end goal of ethics and sustainability being the norm. It’s why raising up those who are doing it right is vital. We need to show those who are lacking in certain areas but holding all the power, that we want them to be doing better. We need them to be doing better. We want fast-fashion brands to just be fashion brands, and for ‘fashion’ to have a whole new meaning.

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What are your thoughts on second-hand shopping? Let’s start a discussion in the comments!

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